What should one do when faced with a riled, protective mother whose baby has not nursed? I don't mean about the baby, obviously the baby needs to be bottled. How is the best way to handle the mother? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!
Calving
- Thread starter msscamp
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My first bit of advice is to have good, easily accessible handling facilities. We ALWAYS milk the cow no matter what it takes b/c we've never had much luck with the store bought colostrums. That means either running the cow and calf into the pen or catching the calf and having the cow follow us. I have done this by myself several times on a fourwheeler with calf straddling my lap but i dont recommend this to beginners or really anyone b/c frankly its kind of dumb to mess with mommas and their calves without any help, even "gentle" ones much less irate ones. having the cow follow behind a pick up truck is not too bad provided the cow isnt so irate that she tries to get IN the back of the truck with you. If all else fails we have had to bribe the whole herd into the pen with hay just to catch one cow before. anyway, onceyou get the cow in the pen you can always out think her. That may mean acting as bait if she wants to run at you to get her in the lane. The easiest is to separate the calf but have it where she can see it and smell it and follow it while still being separated from it. sometimes its just a matter of waiting and catching the cow off gaurd. Once you get the cow in a chute you can milk her or put the calf on her, etc. Why isnt the calf nursing? is it a dummy calf? are the teats too big? is the cow kicking at the calf? Does the cow even have any milk? does she have blind quarters that have discouraged the calf b/c they dont give milk? is the cow kicking b/c shes a bad mother or b/c her teats are tender from mastitis? One thing i do suggest when you have an ill mother is when you finally get her in the chute milk her as much as you possibly can and save that milk so that you dont have to deal with running her into a chute any more than you absolutely have to. Be careful, dont turn your back on her at anytime and always have an escape route in mind.
If you need to catch the calf out in a pasture a good time to do it is when the cow is distracted at feeding time. Just be prepared to get out of the way of a stampede if the calf bawls when you catch it. If the calf doesnt bawl or the mother isnt paying attention once you are on the truck with the calf a good calf impression can cause great turmoil and cause many protective mothers to seek out their calf. A simple MAAAAAAAAA! usually does the trick. Good luck and the most important thing in the whole post is BE CAREFUL! let us know how it turns out. any questions jsut ask..
If you need to catch the calf out in a pasture a good time to do it is when the cow is distracted at feeding time. Just be prepared to get out of the way of a stampede if the calf bawls when you catch it. If the calf doesnt bawl or the mother isnt paying attention once you are on the truck with the calf a good calf impression can cause great turmoil and cause many protective mothers to seek out their calf. A simple MAAAAAAAAA! usually does the trick. Good luck and the most important thing in the whole post is BE CAREFUL! let us know how it turns out. any questions jsut ask..
jerry27150
Well-known member
if you have help this works. neighbor just had one like that & he came down to ask me for help, so he got on the back of my four-wheeler & i drove out i the field. when calf was trying to go with mother i got up behind him & grabbed his tail & neighbor jumped off & grabbed him & jumped back on four wheeler & we headed for barn. i had to keep making calf noises but she followed us. we put cow in chute & i held her tail bent over her back so she couldn't kick & he put calf on teats from back
BE CAREFUL! I have a neighbor with a truck in his pasture for the past 3 years. Cow tried to crawl into the truck before he could get the door shut. He said the steeringwheel is a pretzel, no shifter, dash is a mess, so he left it there in his calving pasture to remind himself to BE CAREFUL! The calf cry I cannot do. The neighbor with the nose that has been broke more than a few times can sure bring the mom's around!
The best advice as everyone else has said is BE CAREFUL! It's best to have the proper facilities, but if you don't have them and the cow is overly protective, I would give that calf plenty of time to nurse on it's own. Eventually they all seem to latch on. I was out in a brushy area where we couldn't drive on foot trying to get a cow that was having calving problems out and it nearly cost me my life. Most cows will bluff coming at you and won't even do that unless your close, the one that got me came from 100 feet away, and I thought she was bluffing until it was too late. Yea I know I'm slow AND stupid.
msscamp
Well-known member
Thanks everyone! The baby was born early evening and it was snowing and cold. I think we jumped the gun a little bit and interfered before it was needed, and that's why mama got so riled. She is ordinarily a very nice, even-tempered old gal. Anyway, the baby is doing fine and she is calmer today, although she is still pretty quick to rile still. I really appreciate everyone's help with this. Chris, I doubt that you are slow or stupid - mama cows are totally unpredictable. The one that you think won't hurt you is usually the one that nails you good!
shorty
Well-known member
You have get her in a chute or someplace where you can handle her , Like everyone just said BE CAREFUL I just had one knock me over and I was just trying to feed her, I wasn't even close to the calf, she's going to be hamburger after she weans this calf. I have an old ax handle which I take with me when I go in to one like that
preston39
Well-known member
shorty":uv76afbj said:
Shorty,
If she is a good cow which produces a good calf...give her a break!
That ax handle will only get in your way. An attacking 1000-1200# new mama will not be deterred by it and if you do get a lick in,... her momentum, generally, will do you much damage. Generally one does not walk around cows with an ax handle and thererfore they do not know what it is.
Most new mamas will not eat protein..nor do they need it...for 24-36 hours. They may take some good hay which is is ok but, feeding her is the last thing an ...expectant human foster dad.... needs to plan for.
There are many ways to deal with a new mama..one favorite is a 8' x 8' X 6' tall..polled at top and bottom..., 3 point hitch mounted cyclone fence corral. Just back up to the little fellow and lower it. If for some reason he is to be taken..built in to the front is a 2' section with a wire floor..put him there and mom can see him all the way to the barn. Use it with a smaller tractor so you will have a better chance getting in under limbs..etc.
I might mention the cyclone wire is stretched in a couple places and that did not occur because it set out in the sun and rain!!!
My favorite way is to get mom in the barn in a FRESHLY HAYED STALL for birthing. When we see the appearance of the water bag or a wandering appearance in her actions in she comes. If there are any problems she is under control...to assist...to milk...or to help in many required ways. Once you get to know your cows...1 day is max we have em up before birth. Usually hours.
Stalls should be keep clean/daily with fresh hay/straw.
Three days turn them out. We feed expectant moms dry feed in the late afteroon that will delay..generally... birth during the night..yotes and all considered. I keep a large plastic pan in the truck with a bag of mixed/sweet feed...they have a hard time turning it down.
We are fortunate to have an extra former horse barn(which has been cleaned and sprayed) with 22 stalls. They have been full..and nearly.. on more than one occasion with new mamas to be. The adjacent stall is kept empty for access to the... going ons.
BE CAREFUL!!!!!!!!!!
Ryder
Well-known member
I am with you on the axe handle. I have broke a shovel handle or two.shorty":2jb88361 said:
One cattle lady on the boards uses a pitch fork. I think she knows what she is talking about
I do not want to get in a barn or stable with a bad one. Been there, done that and once was once too much.
I do not have one of those calf catching cages with the right size tractor. Instead I have been thinking about a helicopter. Just swoop down and catch it with one of those hip lifting thing-a ma-jigs.
Come to think of it, I don't have a helicopter either. Maybe I could borrow one from cowboy billy.
Medic24
Well-known member
Bullet+Butcher= good eatin!
Oldtimer
Well-known member
Sounds like all this momma and baby need is some privacy and let mother nature run its course.... Funny how many of those babies make it plumb fine without our help- kind of the way its supposed to be......
Craig-TX
Well-known member
Oldtimer":1kc4bue4 said:
Oldtimer you make a great deal of sense here. I've always liked your handle. From this and other posts of yours it's pretty plain you "come by it honest" as they say.
Craig-TX
preston39
Well-known member
WORANCH":10f5e7f6 said:
you put every cow in a stall to calve! :shock: :roll:
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Woranch,
Note the above...I didn't say that.Out of 183 head now calving we will pobably be lucky to spot/control and get up...oh...60-70%.
"My Favorite"...because it gives better over all control if any problems..if not needed...nothing lost.
I fully understand ....you folks with several hundred....thousands of head.... probably not be practival. But, I perceive many are small contenders.
